Reversible latch



2 Sheets-Sheet l REVERSIBLE LATCH Filed July 22. 1926 A. F. WINTERS ETAL Feb. 2l,

Feb. 21, 1928.

A. F. WINTERS ET AL REVERSIBLE LATCH 2 Sheets-Shes t 2 mmm" . unuumllll',n H um" |IIIIIIIlIII|l1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUMIIINI!x Patented Feb. v21,1928.

, 1,659,849' UNITED 'STATES 1 a'1|:1\r1 OFFICE.

ALEXANDER r. Wm'rnns AND Basri. u. GRAMPTDN, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

REVERSIBLE LATCH.

Appucauon mea July a2, '1926. serial No. 124,230.

This invention relates to latches and is concerned with a reversiblelatch which may be used on doors swinging either to the right or tol theleft. This is of particular value in p though 'it 5 the matter ofrefrigerator latches,

is also of value for latches in other relations such as kitchen cabinetsand the like. The hardware for refrigerators, cabinets and like articlesis normally manufactured vby'estabi lishments equipped for that purposeand sold to the refrigerator or cabinet manufacturers. Qrders are placedfor a certain number of each kind of latch', that is, for rights orlefts and it is, of course, the intention i `that there shallalways be asuflicientv supply of each kind on hand to schedule going. At times,however, it is found that latches of the one kind are eX- hausted whilepossibly many thousands of the other kind Will be on hand.

The present invention makes'it possible tonot ronly manufacture bothright and left latches with one set of dies, all of the `parts whichenter intothe latch -being forined'the same whether the latch is of oneytype or the other, but it is also possible for the refrigerator orcabinet manufacturer, in case the supply of one type of latch should beexhausted, to very readily change latches of one type to a left hand, orvice versa with very little trouble and this will be done rather thandifferent assembly of the parts, of being made either a right hand or aleft hand typey i0 of latch; and also capable of being very ,readilychanged A further object of the inventiony is :to provide in a latch ofsuch character additional means whereby the latch when attached .to adoor and the dooropened will be held in disengaged or retracted positionuntil the door is closed, whereupon it is automatically tripped so thatthe matically with a keeper for holding the door closed; zand thiswilloccur irrespective of which type of latch may be used, that is, either aright hand or av left hand latch. A still further object of theinvention is to pro duce a latch of this character and yhaving thecapabilities stated in a very. simple and economical manner, all partsof the latch for a keep the production which are onhand to the other.VrFhat is, a right 'hand latch may be changed a latch of from one type tothe other.`

latch lever engages auto-` very simply and easily assem# bled.

For an understanding of the invention by means of which these resultsare attained reference may be had to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is afragmentary front elevation of a refrigerator door and casing having alatch and keeper applied thereto respectively, the latch casing beingshown in section better disclosure of the interior structure. p y

Fig. 2 is a horizontal ysectionthrough the door and keeper substantiallyon the 'plane' of line 27-,2 of Figli.

Fig. 3 is an elevation and vertical section substantially on the planeof line 3-3 0f Fig.v l, .the door being in partly open position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverseV section through the latch lever priorto the permanent securing thereto of a rocker member with which thelatch spring is engaged.

Fig. 5 is a similar view after said ,rocker member has been permanentlysecured.

FigQG is an under plan view of the latch. Figf? is a fragmentary sectionthrough said .latch on'the plane of line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section through the latch substantially on the plane of line8-8 of Fig.y

6, lthe spring being removed, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view ofthe parts of a disassembled latch, theparts thereof being separatedand shown in a position inverted from thatwhich they occupy when in use.

LikeV reference characters refer to like yparts in the several views ofthe drawings. vThe door l'to which the latch is applied may be a .doorof any suitable article of furniture, such as a refrigeratorf The latchincludes a covering of sheet metal having an intermediate raised housing2 from which ears 3 extend in opposite directions through which screwfastenings may be passed to `attach Athe housing and the parts assembledtherewith y'securely to the door l. In Opposite ends ofthe housingopenings 4 andy 5 are made, as .best shown in Figs. 1 and y9. Againstthe upper side of said housing?.v a

bar 6 of flat metal is ,positioned having short end portions v7 turnedat right angles with which `tongues 8 engage to securely vhold the barin place. A. pin 9 ofsheet metal is Vbeing formed from sheet metal bymeans of vdies and being recess 15.

attached atene end to the bar 6 and extends therefrom at rightl anglesat its free end being formed with tWo fingers 9a which may be turnedoutwardly, asV will'later appear, to secure the base plate in place.

' Through the housing described alatch bar, with an integral handle foroperating the same, may be passed. The vlatch bar and handle are formedfrom a single piece of sheet metal making/the handle 10 from which lthebar extends, said bar being of channel form including a web 11 andspaced apart flanges 12, which at the freeend of the bar Aare roundedinwardly toward each other making a keeper engaging end 13 of the formshown in Fig. 9. This latch bar or lever with the integral handle 10 ispivotally mounted onthe pin 9, previously described, a vrelatively largeopening 14 being made through the web 11 for thepassage lof the in.

p A short distance from the opening 14 each of theilanges 12v is formedwith a slot or A rocker member 16`of sheet metal is designed to bepermanently attached to the latch lever and for thisl purpose it is madeWitha rectangular opening so as to pass freely over the lever wherebyacross bar 16ZL of the member 16 is brought directlyin alignment withthe slots l5 and may then be forced downwardly into said slots and intothe channel between the flanges 12, as indicated at 16""inv Fig. 5,thismaking a very secure and rigid connection of the rocker member tothe latch bar. Said rocker member at each end and a short distanceoutward from each flange 12 of the lever is turned lat right angles andformed into an arm 17. Each arm 17 terminates,n in a projection 18 atits free end and is formed with oppositely extendingl lugs 19 and 19?,the former of which is llocated a greater distance from the free-endofthe projection 18 than is the f tion 21 from which a second Section '22isY f turned at right angles, this terminating in a short lip 23 turnedat right angles so as toA latter. p

A coiled spring 2O is'designed to be placed Vat one end over theprojection 18 so as to bear against the shoulder of the lug 19a but byreason of the position of the lug 19 it will not bear against itsshoulder in the same manner that it Ydoes against that of the lug 19a.Thisis fully shown in Fig. 2. The outer end of the-,spring 2O engageswith a "sheet metal abutment which is located in the opening 4 of thehousing at one side of the Alatch lever.

The sheet metal abutment includes a seclie in a plane parallel to theplane of the section 21. At` the opposite end of the section 21 themetal is bent inwardly and then .back upon itself, kas indicated at 24,terminating in a tongue 25 which lies a distance from and in parallelrelation to the section 22 described. It is over the tongue 25 that theother endl of the coiled spring 20 is placed. The invert portion 24 ofthe abutfV mentis located back of the end of the housing 2 between thelip 7 on bar 6 at said Yend of the housing and the adjacent side of theVhousing partly filling the opening 4 and lying in the same plane withsaidend of the housing (see Fig. 2). It is held in this position at theopposite end of Said member by the base plate which closes the innerside 'ofthe housing and the construction of vwhich the same width as'thelip 23 so that said lip K may be received therein, as shown in Fig. 2,

vand hold the sheet metal memberdescribed against outward movement frompressure eX- ert-ed by the spring 20. The plate ,also at what may betermed its front edge has a.

shelfA 28 of triangular shape turned :back upon'it,'having sides 29kcoming together at the point ofthe shelf,as shown in dotted linesl inFig. 6. The plate also Vat the same edge is formed with tongues 30pressed'inwardly so as to engage with the notches 3G made at oppositeedges of the opening 4 in the latch casing, as best'shown in Fig. 9.

'When thus engaged a circular opening 31 in the plate may be broughtoverthe pinl 9 and the retaining fingers 9a on the free end of the pinarethen turned'outwardly, as shown in Fig. '6, so as to securely hold thelill) plate in position. Of course, when the latch 'i is attached to adoorand the screws are passed through the ears 3 andl the base plateunderneath themv thereV is no possibility of detachment of the baseplate. y

The abutment including the parts 2l to 25 inclusive, as described, maybe placed at either sideof the latch lever andthe spring 2O may beplaced so .as to engage with the lug 18 at the free end of either arm *V17. Such change in position of the abutment member against which thespring engages ywiththe corresponding change in position of the springcauses' the latch to be reversed, that' is, changed' from either a rightto a left7 or vice 'versa The spring 2O and the abutment can be 'veryreadily disengaged `and detached through onek opening 27 and reassembledon the opposite side of the latch lever through the other opening 27.Should arefrigerator or cabinet manufacturer find that the supply onhand of latches of one type was exhausted Whileit still had on hand agreat many of the other type, such y latches of the other type or asmanyof them as may be needed can be very quickly changed so as to supplythenecessary latches l of both types or kinds. This is a very desirableand valable feature of our invention.

In addition, the possibility of making the latches of either type orkind with the same tools and dies is of great value. The manufacturingprocess in the factory does not have to be changed so far as fabricatingthe various parts is concerned. All that is necessary is-to reverse theposition of the spring and the abutment against which it bears at itsouter end to change from one type of latch to the other and this can bevery readily taken care of inthe assembly department where, after acertain quantity of latches o-f one type have been assembled then theassembly is changed to make a desired quantity of latches of the reversetype.

lith a latch of this character when the latch lever is swung about itspivot beyond the shelf 28 it will engage -withan edge 29 of said shelfto hold the lever' in retractedposition, this appearing in dotted linesin Fig.r1. ThisV is caused by reason ofthe fact that the opening 14 isenouglrlarger than the =diameter of the pin 9 thatv the lever may rockon' the pivot due to the combined fr effect of `the outward pull on thehandle 10 and thefor'ce of the spring 2O who-se line of force is fromthe center line of the tongue to the shoulder of the lug 19a againstwhich the spring bears at itsopposite end,

thereby causing a tendency of the lever to tilt or rock about the pin'r9 causing it to engage with an edge 29 of the shelf 28 when retractedfar enough that it may pass by such edge. Upward movement of the lever`on the pin 9 is vprevented by the lugs 19.

When the lever is freed froml the shelf it returns to normal centralposition as shown in Fig. 1, being stopped insuch position by.engagement 'against an edge of the abut- `side 87 to closed position. Atrip finger 38 extends mentbdescribed. Vhen the abutment member ischanged tothe opposite side andthe spring is likewise changed, the levermay swing in the opposite direction and will, when swung far enough,engage with the opposite edge 29 `of the shelf 28.

The keeper which is attached to the door casing or jam 32 includes abase 33 from which a post 34 projects outwardly terminating in a head'35 which, with the post,

forms -a hook-like keeper having an outer cam sid-e 26 and an innerinclined side 37.A

The end 13 of the lever, when the door is closed and when it is engagedwith the keeper, bears against said inclined` inner and acts to wedgethe door tightly from the base 33 a short distance above the recessofthe keeper and is in thev position such that when the lever on 'thedoor held Vin retained and retracted position, as shown -in dotted linesin Fig. 1, comes against the lfinger, it ,will dislodge said lever fromvthe retaining shelf and free it so that it may engage with the keeperunder the force of the spring 20, The keeper is also of a form such thatit can be used with doors swinging either to the right or to the left.

It is apparent from the foregoing that we have devised a simple,practical andafter it has once been assembled into sup-y Y' posedlypermanent form. The possibility of manufacturing the latch of eithervtype with the same tools and dies andthe capability ofthe latch wherebyit may be changed [from one to the other land at the same timeincorporate therewith the latch lever retaining and tripping features sothat strains on the latch fastenings and door hingesare eliminated whenthe door is closed, all 'combine to make this latch one of great value.The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope. f

vWe claim: Y 1. A latch comprising 'a housing, a late lever extendingthrough the housing and pivotally mounted between its ends within saidhousing, a rocking member attached to said latch lever transverselythereof, said rocking member having an arm at `each end spaced from andpara'lleling the length of the lever, an abutment detachably located atone end of the housing and at one side of the lever in substantialvalignment with one of said'arms of the rocking member, said abutmentbeing adapted -'to be placed kat either side yof the lever andinterchanged from one sidel kto the other, and a coiled spring disposedbetween vthe abutment and the arm of the rocking member at the 'sideofthe lever at which :the abutment is located. 2. In a latch, a. housinghaving openings in opposite ends, a latch lever extending through thehousing, a pivot pin attachedto the housing and passing throughthe'latch lever between the ends thereof, a rocking memberpermanentlysecured to and located transversely of the latching lever, anabut-- ment locatedat one end of the housing` and closingthe opening atsaid end at one side of the latch lever, said abutment being adapted tobe positioned at either side of the latch lever, and a coiled springbetween said abutn itin lll)

pin, a vrocking'member connected to the lever and locatedv transverselythereof, said meni- ISU berfextending to each side ot the lever, anabutment locatedfbetween the housing and base plate at `one side of thelever and at one of the open ends of the housing andA closing adjacentsaid abutment, said shell' being oi triangular form and coming to apoint a distance ,inward from the open end ot the housing where theabutmentis located.

5. In a latch, a sheet metal housingl having open ends, a bar securedinthe upper portion ofthe housingy lengthwise thereof, a

hollow pivot pinconnected to the bar, abase pla-te closing the4 innerend of the housing through which the pivot pin passes, said pivot pin atits free end being formed with lingers adapted to be bent outward as tohold, the base plate in place with respect to the housing, a latch leverextending through 'thehousing and pivotally mounted between its ends onthe pivot pin, and spring means engaging with the latch lever tending toturn it about the pivot pin in one direction.

A 6. In a construction ot' the class described, a housing having openends, a pivot pin connected with the housing and located within thesame, a base plate closing the inner side of the housing, said baseplate having two elongated openings therein, a latch lever extendingthrough the housing above the base plate and pivotally mounted on saidpivot pin,`said latch lever lying between said openingaan abutmenthaving one end seatyed atone end o't' one oit said openings and itsother end engaged against an end oic the housingiand closing` one ot theends of the housing at one side ot the lever, a rocker member connectedto the lever and disposed transversely thereof, and a coiled spring un-lder compression. disposed between one end of the rocker member and saidVabutment to,

holdthe abutment in place by spring presvsure'and causing the. lever toturn until it engages against the inner edge ot' said abutment, ysaidspring and abutment being readily detached and removed through the open-Y ing in the base plate overpwhich the spring is located and replacedVthrough the other opening in said base plate at the Yother side of thelatch lever to engage the spring with the other end of said rockermember.

In combination, a housing having an open inner side, a base plateclosing said inner side of the housing, a latch lever extending throughthe housing, a pivot pin disposet between the housing and base plate onwhich in place on the housinfr.

the latch lever is pivotally mounted, a compression spring, means forselectively engaging the spring with the' latch lever at either sidethereotwhereby the lever willv be turnedV by said spring in reversedirections, andr4 means-tor automatically `retaining the lever inretracted kposition when movedy against' the compression oi"i saidspring irrespective of whichside ot the lever the spring is located.Y 8.in alatch, a sheet metal housing have ing an opening at each end and anopen inner side, a bar ot metal located in the housing lengthwisethereof ateach end having a lip turned at right angles, tongues stucktromv the housing at the open endsl thereof extending across andengaging with notches in said lips to permanently secure the bar in thehousing, a hollow cylindrical pin connected with andvextending atright-angles. from said bar, a latch leverv pivotally mounted betweenits ends on said pin, a base plate closing the inner open side of thehousing i and having an opening forl the i passage of the free end oitthe pin, spring means acting on the lever to turn it in one direction,1and lingers on said free end of the pinradapted to be bent outwardly tohold the base plate 9. A latch lever comprising a housing having openends and an open inner lside, a base plate closing the open inner sideof the housing, said base plate having. two parallel ,elongatedopeningsjtherethrough, a pivot pin carried by the housing and.v passingthrough said base plate, av latch lever pivotally mounted onfsaid pivotpin, a Vrocker member connected to and located transversely of thelever, a sheet metal abutment located at one -side of the llatch leverat one of the open ends of the housing closingthe opening at said side'of the latch lever, said abutment havinga lip engaging in one' of theopenings in the base' plate at oney end and at its opposite endhavng avvprojection bearing against the inner sideof the end of Y the housingabove Vthe opening at said open end thereof, andra coiledvspring'located be tween one end of the rockerl member and said abutmentreleasably holding said abutment in place and turning the latch lever toVengage against the edg'efof the abutment, said coiled spring andabutment being de-v tachable from the lever andthe housing in which theyare located and removable through the opening inthe base plate overwhich thespring is located and replaceable in the housing ythrough theother opening in the base plate `with the spring engaged against theopposite end of the rocker member, substantially as described. Y

10. ln a latch, a housing having an "elon-` gated opening, a latch leverpivoted Within the housing andV projecting through said opening andadapted to swing both Ways from a central Vnormal position,aktransposable abutment associated with said housing and adapted to belocated at either side of said lever for the purpose of preventingmovement of said lever in one direction from central normal position. i

11. In a latch, a housing having an elongated opening, a latchleverpivoted within the housing and projecting through said opening andadapted to swing both ways from a central normal position, atransposable abutment associated witli said housing and adapted to belocated at either side of sai-d lever for the purpose of preventingmovement of said lever in one direction from central normal position andspring means acting upon said lever to move it into engagement with saidabutment.

l2. In a latch, a housing having an elongated opening, a latch leverpivoted Within the housing and projecting through said opening vandadapted to swing both ways from a central normal position, atransposable abutment associated with said housing and adapted to belocated at either side of said lever for the purpose of preventingmovement of said lever in one direction from to retainv said abutment inplace and to swing the lever into engagement with the abutment.

13. In a latch, a housing having an elongated opening, a latchl leverpivoted within the housing and projecting through said opening andadapted to swing both ways from a central normal position, a detent onthe housing engageable with said lever to retain the lever when swung ineither direction from central normal position, a transposable abutmentassociated with said heus ing and adapted to be located at either sideof said lever for the purpose of preventing movement of said lever inone direction from central normal position, and spring means associatedwith said lever and said abutment to retain said abutment in place andto move the lever into engagement with the abut` ment. 1

In vtestimony whereof we affix our signa-v tures. v

ALEXANDER F. wiN'rERs. BASIL R. CRAMPTON.

